Emotion Eating

I am an emotional eater.  There.  I said it.  I hate admitting it but I have come to realize it's what I do.  This past month has been particularly hard.  I've dealt with a loss in the family followed by guilt of not being able to go to the funeral.  Then a loss of a pet.  And the guilt of not being there when he died.  I've dealt with anger, sadness, grief and understanding.  And I've dealt with everything with...food.   In all honesty, I've sort of had this inkling before.  But I've never wanted to admit it.  Who would want too?  I mean - I deal with my emotions with food.  It doesn't always happen when I'm upset either.  I'm happy around food. People are happy.  Good food, happy people.   I've been spending the last few weeks thinking over why I am the way I am.  How my habits became my habits.

Growing up, we would celebrate with ice cream from the local dairy queen.  Holidays were filled with smells of amazing, home cooked meals and family.   Picnics, bbq's, parties, just because...happy food memories.  But it's not just that. Look at media.  From childhood women are told to eat some ice cream and drink some wine after a break up.  Pig out when your pregnant.  Dine on Chinese take out when we are single or alone.  Why can't we incorporate healthy habits?  Take our frustrations out at the gym.  Eat healthy while pregnant.  Take healthy cooking classes when were single?   Of course we can't take away everything - like holiday meals and every family outing.  But we can change.  We can make healthier habits.  We CAN change those habits of emotional eating and turn them towards something positive.  Emotional bicycling perhaps? 

In all seriousness, emotional eating is a real problem.   There are something that can help though. 

• Identify the Trigger - Stress? Bordom? Anger? Depressed?
• Are you REALLY hungry?
• What are your habits? Do you eat when you get home from work, late at night, during a particular movie? 

When you get to the point where you want to emotional eat, try the following:

• Go for a walk, run, bike ride
• Garden
• Play a game with your kids
• Call a friend
• Drink some water
• Be mindful of what you eat
• yoga  

With a little time and a lot of practice, emotional eating can be beat.  Eat for the long term goal, not the short term satisfaction.